September 29, 2008

Is There a Government Bailout for Creative Bankruptcy?

You guys know that, in general, I avoid spoilers. While I would like to say that my reasons for doing so are as well-thought-out as Mallory's, in truth lately they are really just a combination of laziness and early-onset senility. I can't be bothered to track down spoilers from the various sources, plus I fear I would forget what had actually happened versus what I read in a spoiler. (I forgot my zip code for a good ten minutes the other day. I mean, really.) But certain spoilers are unavoidable, especially if they appear in that publication that is crazy enough to continue to pay us to spout off our wacky opinions. So that's how I came across this most recent Days spoiler -- perusing the breaking news pages of Soap Opera Digest. I'm sitting there, innocently flipping the pages, looking for a James Scott or Jason Thompson two-full-page shirtless photo (as I always do), when I read the news that has me convinced that the Days of Our Lives writers are, without question, out of ideas.

Spoiler after the jump. (I think there is a promo out about this already so maybe it's not much of a spoiler, but just in case, don't click through if you want to remain pristine. In which case -- aren't you cute?)

So here's the deal: Both Sami and Nicole are pregnant by EJ.

Sigh.

While I have no trouble believing that James Scott EJ Wells is virile enough to impregnate half the town without even trying, these storylines are a terrible idea. First of all, Sami doesn't need any more babies! She needs anger management therapy, and voice modulation coaching, and to read a number of books on how to move the fuck on and have new and more interesting conversations, but she does NOT need another baby. She has two under the age of one already, and a nearly grown son that is one of the few non-SORASed kids in soaps. I'm sure they're writing this in because Ali Sweeney is pregnant but truly, I wish soap execs would think more of their viewers than that we can't possibly wrap our tiny little brains around the idea that an actress can be pregnant while her character is not. (Remember Sweeney's last pregnancy? I still get the shakes when I think about Stan. Morons.)

I'm actually fine with the idea of Nicole having a DiMera baby, but -- and I wasn't watching regularly back then so forgive me if I've misunderstood -- wasn't there some irreparable damage to her lady bits that prevented her from ever getting pregnant? Yet one romp in an elevator with EJ and she's Fertile Mertyl? If I were the preachy type, I'd go off on how that kind of nonsense is pretty insulting to women everywhere who are dealing with actual fertility issues.

And EJ. Gah. Do the writers have the same "OMG James Scott with babies is the cutest thing
evah!!!" reaction that I do and they just couldn't help but throw a whole passel full of new infants in his general direction? What the hell is this show doing saddling its hottest leading man with three freaking babies? Not to mention, he's semi-evil. The more kids you bring into his orbit, the less acceptable and forgiveable his shades of gray are. If this means EJ gets Disneyfied and we get "treated" to "fun" montages of him struggling to change multiple diapers while figuring out how to assemble a toy, much like we were with Steve during that whole Pocket mess, I will . . . well, I can't stop watching, so I'll just look even less forward to watching this show than I already do. Which I really didn't think was possible.

I suppose it is within the realm of possibility that this thing could turn out to be soapily fabulous. But I doubt it. Mostly because the most interesting thing I saw in the 1-2pm time slot over the last two weeks was a dog that can do math (on Oprah via Tivo). Seriously, that dog was AMAZING. They should totally get him on Days. He's unexpected and entertaining, plus he's probably been fixed so he's unlikely to knock up half the town.

Comments

I heart you and that wonder dog math genius on Oprah!! I think he should get Guza's job.

Knocking up Sami again is so so so wrong. And you are so right. And don't feel bad about forgetting your zip code. I have similar brain farts all the time. Sometimes I look at a word like "orange" and spend ten minutes deciding whether or not I spelled it correctly?!?! And I could sooner tell you my childhood phone number than give you my sister's current cell phone number and I call her twice a day. And I'm not even forty yet.

Does the DOOL wardrobe department not know how to buy big clutch purses or does the director not know how to position Sami behind breakfronts and potted plants as her baby bump grows?

Hey, did you see the dog who could dance too? Damn I love Oprah. He was awesome. Made that Kim Kardashian look like the dumb beyotch she is on DWTS!

Yep, more bouncing babies on Days. I'm in the minority of not being too upset about Sami's pregnancy, just cause I like the thought of them having a baby made out of lust instead of a rape/devil's bargain, however you want to term it. Sami will continue to be irrational and annoying, I'm used to it by now.

What I worry about is what this will do to the fabulousness of Nicole. She's pretty much the one character Dena has written well and I fear babydom will turn her into Sami Part 2. She's already a little less interesting now that she's in love with EJ and more unsure and whiny. I'd rather her watch her boozing her way around town and truth telling.

JS is cute with babies, I agree, but having 4 babies on screen, plus Ciara and Theo at 5 is just too much. I worry that they'll go even more cliche and have Nicole's baby die and have her pull a baby switch or something. I have no faith in these writers to do this story justice. It could actually be decent, but it won't!

I'm O.K. with the Sami having a baby with EJ too. I love EJ and Sami and they already have one baby together and I like the fact that this baby was made in a night of passion.

Not digging the whole Nicole thing. Not digging the fact that she is on the show 24/7 now either. I agree with the other poster that I liked the fun Nicole boozing her way around town and not whining to whatever man will listen for help every five seconds. Dena has destroyed this character and made EJ boring in the process.

As usual, you read my mind. I'm down to watching once a week and with two more damn babies coming I just might stop for good. I'm still bitter over that idiotic campaign to get Steve/Kayla a baby that Corday was stupid enough to take seriously. Nicole is one of the very few good things going on with the show and the want to ruin her with kid?!

Heh, and I thought you were going to talk about A Loved One Of Sonny And/Or Jason Is Attacked By The Mob Story #3,876B-2.

Anyway, what is it with this show and keeping women, even characters who are 40+, pregnant/having secret kids all the time? Geesh, it's weird enough that we have more than several adult characters on the show with aunts and uncles still in elementary school, and that Kate has about twenty or so children.

I would be happy about an EJ and Sami baby but Higley has ruined EJ for me at this point and I wouldn't mind if he disappeared for a while until a new head writer comes along and gives him his balls back.

As for Nicole, I hope she falls down a flight of stairs and her pillow dies. First off she's not supposed to be pregant. Second, she's been drinking like a fish for weeks and the "baby's" health should be at serious risk. Third - I'M SICK OF THE NICOLE SHOW. She's turned into a whining pathetic bitch and I want to see Sami kill her and throw her into an incinerator.
Ahem. I Just had to get that off my chest.

Ummm...Ali Sweeney has been MIA for the last 4 months since she she has been doing the Biggest Loser. If anyone has been hogging the time on Days it's Arianne Zucker and I'll pass on extra servings of that.

I think Ali Sweeney actually wanted the pregnancy thing written in. She said in an interview that the hiding the baby bump gets old and why not just throw in one more pregnancy?

My guess is that one baby isn't going to make it - which will give one of the actresses some serious drama to work with. I respect both actresses, so if it goes that way, I think either could step up to the plate and bring it. (Not that I want a baby to die, but there's got to be sad things in daytime too.)

My whole issue with this is that it has been MONTHS since Sami and EJ had sex. It seems a bit odd that this is just coming up now. I've never been pregnant, but it seems unlikely to me that you can be pregnant for fourish months and be completely oblivious. So unless they make it that Sami has known and was just keeping it from EVERYONE, then yeah. Thats dumb. I would say it could account for Sami acting like a raving psycho, but hey, she's always like that.

As for Nicole, I really liked her when they brought her back on the show. Now she just gets on my nerves and I have a feeling the baby story isn't going to make her any less annoying.

angmc - Really? I had no idea. I watched the show for 15 years and had to stop last year with the santo/colleen thing. I just couldn't stomach ali sweeney anymore. Especially with that god awful accent. I guess I'm still not over that!

I occasionally switch back to days to see what's going on and it seems like she is always on but I don't watch it regularly. Maybe I will start watching again - not that this storyline is worth tuning in for...

Sorry, hollyann, I can't get behind that reasoning. If Hope can be pregnant for 12 months, I don't think it's a big deal that Sami is pregnant in the fall after they had sex at the beginning of spring. DOOL doesn't exactly care about being exact with their seasons.

But watching Nicole say out loud that she's on a steady diet of 3 drinks a meal right before she's revealed to be pregnant...well, that's just gross.

I'm ok with the Sami pregnancy, although I'd rather it be Lucas' kid and that throws a wrench into *everything* with *everyone*. Although Chloe looks like she's about to bail. I was really hoping that Lucas would overhear her and Nicole the other day when she said she wasn't cut out for this. (I'm still catching up with episodes)

As for Nicole being pregnant? Ye gods... please don't let them go down the road of a alcoholic baby, or some other damage. We already have the Theo storyline that we get bashed over the head whenever Lexie is onscreen (case in point: her board review, the discussion with Stephano, and every well meaning "how is Theo doing" which gives us a status update)

Yeah I don't have an issue with the timing of the pregnancies. Days time clearly does not run on real time, so who knows how long it's been? Baby bumps will probably be revealed the week after the pregnancies are revealed. You can already see AS' when the clothing doesn't disguise it that well.

I'll be surprised if Nicole's baby lives...I have a major issue with them asking a pregnant AS to lose her baby, so either both make it or Nicole's doesn't. NO baby switching though!

I find it funny that people are bitching about the so-called Nicole show. If you compare Nicole's stats with Sami's stats last year (Jason47's wonderful website!), Sami has far surpassed Nicole in episodes. What the hell is Allison Sweeney supposed to do while working two shows? Clone herself so we can have the "All Sami, All the Time" show?
That being said: it pisses me off that TPTB caved into Allison Sweeney's "selfless" wish that her pregnancy get written in to save those poor set crew members from having to set a potted plant in front of her.
I'm hot and cold about Nicole's pregnancy. I love her, but I don't want her to become all glittery-fied like Sami has become, a la Belle and Carrie.
And EJ is turning into the male version of Belle and Carrie......with the proverbial "wanting to have his cake and eat it, too".
Good thing Arianne Zucker has good chemistry with lots of people. She makes this whole thing tolerable.

I love that there is another ejami baby but I hate that the psychotic nut job Nicole is going to get her hands on her. YUCK. I hate the writing on this show, I hate how they are writing Sami and EJ. EJ has turned into some brainless balless sap. I hope this travesty ends soon. I am so sick and tired of nicole on the screen everyday and ari taking over the soap mags. Enough of this blatant selling job. I'm not buying.